Factors affecting the unplanned use behavior of academic libraries users: Towards an axial coding pattern
Aslib Journal of Information Management
ISSN: 2050-3806
Article publication date: 1 April 2019
Issue publication date: 10 May 2019
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify and design the axial coding pattern of the factors affecting the unplanned use behavior of users of the academic libraries and information centers.
Design/methodology/approach
The study as an applied research with a qualitative approach employed the grounded theory. The data collection tool was a deep and semi-structured interview. The interviews data were analyzed and coded during three stages of open, axial and selective coding using the MAXQDA 10 qualitative analysis software. The research population consisted of faculty members and experts in three areas of library and information science, management and psychology. Using the combined targeted sampling method (targeted and then the snowball), 12 subjects were selected as the sample size.
Findings
According to the research findings, the factors affecting the unplanned behavior of users in the use of academic libraries resources and services were identified as factors related to technology, environmental factors, information resources, information services, human resources, individual features, time position factor, cultural factors and social factors. Accordingly, the axial coding pattern of this type of behaviors was designed.
Research limitations/implications
The research limitations include the lack of theoretical basis related to the unplanned behavior issue in the field of library and information science and the lack of full familiarity of most of the experts in the field of library and information science with this topic. These factors lead to the necessity of explaining the subject under discussion.
Originality/value
The unplanned behavior of clients can be utilized to persuade users to use the information resources and library services so that the costs spent on their preparation and collection will be justifiable. The current research addressed this aspect of the unplanned information-seeking behavior.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This paper is based on a doctoral dissertation from Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch of Tehran.
Citation
Harati, H., Nooshinfard, F., Isfandyari-Moghaddam, A., Babalhavaeji, F. and Hariri, N. (2019), "Factors affecting the unplanned use behavior of academic libraries users: Towards an axial coding pattern", Aslib Journal of Information Management, Vol. 71 No. 2, pp. 138-154. https://doi.org/10.1108/AJIM-04-2018-0092
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited